Hoodia - magic plant for losing weight

Hoodia is a succulent plant that closely resembles a cactus and grows exclusively in the South African deserts. Recently this purple-flowered plant has been getting a considerable amount of attention for its beneficial weight loss properties. Though just recently made available to the general public, this botanical has been used by the native people of the Kalahari Desert, the San Bushmen, for quite some time. During extended hunting trips, these men would eat part of the juicy stem of the plant in an effort to ward off thirst and hunger, as well as for other ailments such as abdominal cramps, indigestion, hypertension, and diabetes.
Since hoodia is a relatively new on the weight-loss scene, there is not a substantial amount of published research available on its efficacy, but what is available is extremely promising. Scientists have isolated a number of particular compounds in the hoodia plant that work to suppress thirst and hunger. In particular, they have identified a molecule that they have name P57. P57 is steroidal glycoside, which is a chemical that reacts much like glucose in the body, but is substantially more active. Essentially this means that hoodia is 100,000 times faster and more effective at signaling the body that food has been consumed in an adequate amount. Once the P57 molecule triggers the signal that the body has been satiated, the hypothalamus then sends out its own signal to let the body know that it?s time to turn off the appetite. Fundamentally taking hoodia tricks the brain into telling the body that it is no longer hungry. In addition to all of this there are no known adverse side effects to taking hoodia.
Though this herb has so far proven to be highly effective, it is not easily or cheaply available to the general public. Since the plant itself needs about four or five years to mature, it is not a quickly replaced resource. This keeps the prices for this herb quite high, but so far research has shown that individuals who use hoodia reduce their caloric intake about 40 percent on average, so it seems well worth it.
Without the same stimulating and dangerous side effects that come with the now-banned ephedra, hoodia appears to be an excellent option for those looking to lose weight. Of course you should always check with your physician before beginning to use any kind of weight-loss supplement, hoodia seems to be a gentle and effective avenue to a thinner, healthier lifestyle and body.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Grigoriy Anoshenko

Stomach bands help you get rid of the excessive weight

The increasing rate of obesity among men, women and children are causing alarm bells to ring across the world. Medical science has devoted much research into coming up with ways and means to counter this lifestyle disease. Stomach bands are one such efficient method for weight loss. It is guaranteed to enable you to lose that excess baggage around your stomach that could lead to life threatening diseases if not controlled. Competent surgeons perform this surgery, usually by using laparoscopic techniques, to implant inflatable silicon stomach bands in the abdomen of the patients. The stomach bands then form a smaller stomach bag which fills quickly with much smaller amounts of food.
The lifestyle that we are leading today induces unhealthy eating habits in the individual. It is surprising how by just controlling the input of calories we consume we can achieve amazing weight loss. The stomach bands are an example of this process. Whenever a person consumes a high level of fats in the food, the fatty tissues accumulate in the stomach. The stomach increases in size and also interferes with the regular metabolism of the body. Stomach bands when surgically placed inside the abdomen can regulate the amount of food that is consumed by the individual. It also has an outlet that slowly releases the food into the stomach and intestines. The patient then experiences fullness after eating a much smaller quantity of food. This results in dramatic weight loss.
The term ‘couch potato’ was also invented to describe a typical category of people who lay on the couch all day watching television, eating junk food and with the minimum movement possible. Obesity could be a strong possibility for these individuals. The advent of numerous television channels, video games, shopping malls with special entertainment zones, etc. has resulted in even the children hardly indulging in outdoor games. The high level of stress and increased work pressure hardly leaves any time for the harried individual to consume a healthy meal. As a result junk food or ‘comfort food’ finds their way into the stomach resulting in obese individuals with bulging stomachs. As the stomach is highly elastic it expands and shrinks with the amount of food and drinks consumed. Stomach bands could be the most effective solution that is required for weight control.
Stomach bands require a surgery that consumes very less time and involves minimum invasions which do not interfere with your digestive system or the intestinal tract. The regular eating process can be started within a short while and the food habits change automatically as the stomach bands start their work. Once the consumption is automatically curtailed and you consciously adopt a healthy eating habit, losing weight and maintaining your ideal weight becomes an easy task. The surgery is a very common procedure for weight loss in obese patients as the chances of anything going wrong is very rare. A healthy lifestyle with balanced diet and regular checkups by the experienced doctors can ensurean obese person who undergoes surgery for stomach bands, a new slim look that not only raises the confidence level but drastically cuts down the health risks.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com -By: Nicholas Bowen

Lose weight in only 10 days on a 10 day diet

What you really want to know is will a 10 day diet work, or is it just a bunch of marketing BS which the Diet Industry want us to believe so they can sel their latest wonder diet pills and diet supplements.

Of course you are going to be cynical and I would be too if I wasn’t the author of a best selling diet ebook Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks but I can tell you from the hundreds of satisfied clients I have had tell me a 10 day or 2 week diet if you prefer can really work for you.Provided of course it is safe, nutritionally balanced and you should for good measure include a light exercise routine.

Have you looked at yourself in a mirror recently? If not I want you to next time you have a bath or shower to take time to look at yourself. Are you pleased with what you see or horrified? How do you look when you look at your naked body in a full length mirror?

Infact if you seriously want to lose weight you will need to either buy a full length mirror or a camera as this will be far less disheartening than a set of scales.How does it make you feel are you happy or sad at what you see (not what you think you see but what is really looking back at you in the mirror).

When you look at yourself looking down on yourself you look bigger than you really are the birds eye view emphasises the size of you and makes you look much fatter.In addition if you wear clothing which is skin tight and you don’t have the figure for it you will look huge and overweight but a change of outfit could make all the difference.

After some heartfelt thinking you have come to the conclusion that maybe you really are a few pounds heavier than you would like and if you are going to look good on the beach or whatever you are going to have to do something about it.

It might have been a couple of months when you knew you were going to need to be ready for the special event but before you know it life gets in the way and you find yourself having a couple of weeks to lose around 8-10 pounds so you can get into that bikini you brought last year.

If you like a lot of people this next step is where you go wrong because you automatically assume you have to stop living to lose those pounds and you start living on a fraction of what you were eating before you decided to diet. Virtually overnight. Which means by about day 4-5 not only are you starving but you are feeling sick and miserable you are hardly geared up to go on vacation are you?

It doesn’t matter whether you are getting married and trying to squeeze in to your wedding dress or planning a honeymoon to Hawaii or just going to a family party the result is the same by the time you have starved yourself for a couple of weeks you don’t even want to go out let alone go out and enjoy yourself.

So lets back track you’ve decided you want to lose 10 pounds but if you lost 6 or 8 pounds would it really be that bad? Of course not don’t obsese with what the scales tell you and let your eyes guide you (remember the mirror) Now just close you eyes a minute and imagine this ...

How much more stunning and brimming with self confidence you will feel when your wearing that sexy dress or pretty bikini, think of all that attention and romance you are going to be getting when your partner gets a sight of your stunning new look and if your single you’ll be fighting the guys off.

Well was that more motivational than thinking about losing weight of course it is and this combined with a healthy eating plan and a mild but effective exercise regimen is all you need.

Seriously you don’t need a wonder pill and you don’t need to spend your entire life at the gym just follow a good 10 day diet or even a fourteen day diet what’s 4 days among friends and you will see amazing results.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Graham Foster

Don't Wait for Your Doctor to Tell You to Exercise

An issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a national survey showed that only 28% of all physicians advise patients to become more physically active. Ask anyone who is physically active, and they will tell you exercise gives them an overall positive feeling of well being. People feel better when they exercise, sleep better and have fewer aches and pains.

In a national research, sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1,800 adults were interviewed. Their doctors suggested they make a lifestyle change, but only 28% of the participants said their physicians had recommended that they become more active. And only 11% of the MDs had offered advice or further assistance to help their patients on an exercise program. Those patients who received both the suggestion and follow-up support from the doctors were 80% more likely to meet the basic physical activity requirements than those who didn’t. The basic physical activity requirement is 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, five times a week.

Let’s be honest. Doctors are busy people. Many doctors themselves don’t exercise. So how can we expect them to tell us to do something they don’t do. That’s why Americans have to turn to exercise experts and personal trainers. We really don’t need our doctors to tell us to exercise, do we? You would have to be pretty blind to not know about the health related benefits of exercise. Exercise education is all around us. We can either choose to ignore these messages or take action and get off our couches and exercise.

I believe many people don’t exercise because they don’t know how or are intimidated by the large health club scenes. Seniors, overweight people and new exercisers are confused with all the equipment, don’t appreciate the loud music and noise, and are uncomfortable exercising among the younger people. That’s where small personal training studios are beneficial. A personal trainer’s job is to teach their client how to exercise. The trainer should first have a complete understanding of the client’s goals, physical strengths and limitations, past and present injury history and proper medical history. Then after designing a program for the specific needs and goals, they teach proper form and technique, safety in the gym, how to properly adjust equipment, explain how to focus on the right muscle for a given exercise, make recommendations for cardiovascular exercise, strength or resistance training, flexibility conditioning, and help the client make positive lifestyle changes. If you have any special medical condition, your personal trainer should contact your doctor.

If only, the most sedentary person who is obese started to exercise, they would feel better in just 7 to 10 days. For a sedentary, obese person to start an exercise program, they should first check with their doctor on any precautions to exercise. Starting with a 10 minute walk per day and gradually increasing the time and intensity is the beginning of a more active lifestyle and a healthier new you. For more information and tips on exercise, go to http://www.easyexercisetips.com

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Join A Gym Or Purchase Exercise Equipment

The age old question when it comes to working out is: should I join a gym or purchase exercise equipment? Depending on your needs and specific method of working out, different individuals experience different results with each of these methods. However, before you rush out and sell your gym membership to purchase thousands of dollars in exercise equipment or sell your exercise equipment in order to purchase a gym membership, consider your options carefully. Depending on your schedule, budget, workout schedule, and dedication, the decision you make must be personal and honest in order to experience the best results.

Whether you are looking to lose weight, gain muscle, or just become healthier, a gym membership may be just what you need. In addition to access to top of the line equipment, professional gyms employ professional trainers, intuitionalists, and other individuals that will allow you to meet your goal. Furthermore, most gyms hold a series of classes in all types of exercises and activities. From popular activities like yoga and Pilates to more action packed classes like kick boxing and classic aerobics, exercise classes are a great way to meet people, stay motivated, and see results.

You should join a gym if you are looking professional guidance in the correct methods and techniques to working out. Also, if you find yourself unmotivated to begin exercising, joining a gym will keep you motivated, since many individuals are resistant to let their hard earned money spent on a gym membership go to waste. Furthermore, join a gym to meet other individuals with your interests or goals, so that you can form a support system to ensure that everyone meets his or her goals.

However, if your schedule finds little time that you can dedicate to visiting a gym, consider establishing a home gym. Typically, outfitting a home gym is much more expensive than paying a gym membership, but having the ability to work out any time of the day is well worth the cost. Additionally, you only have to purchase gym equipment once, where you have to renew a gym membership on an annual basis. Furthermore, if you are shy or feel intimidated while working out in gyms and find yourself often sacrificing your work out routine in order to avoid exercising in rooms with many people, consider starting your own home gym.

Although you have a home gym, a professional trainer is not out of the question, as many trainers will gladly travel to your home in order to establish a work out regimen that best works toward your goal. Having a professional trainer on call may be more expensive than working with a trainer at a professional gym, but the cost is well worth the service.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Mike Barus

Pooling Your Resources: The Benefits Of An Aquatic Workout

You'd definitely work out more if it wasn't, well, so much work, and didn't leave you with all those aching bones. Maybe your doctor even advised you to "take it easy" due to a pre-existing condition.

Well, now experts note there are even fewer reasons to make excuses. And one of the best ways to get your feet wet when it comes to physical activity is by literally getting your feet (and entire body) wet, by submerging yourself into a fairly stressless fitness routine.

Water workouts, according to the experts are great for folks of all ages, strengths, shapes and sizes.

Experts note that when properly executed, water workouts can offer results similar to those achieved by "regular" workouts, including aerobic fitness, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and greater balance. Furthermore, physicians and fitness professionals alike recommend water workouts for the following reasons:

1. Water's buoyancy help support your weight. When you are submerged in water (up to your neck), the water "deletes" up to 90 percent of your (total) body weight, significantly decreasing tension on your weight-bearing joints, bones and muscles. Additionally, instead of working and landing on a hard surface and with the impact of your total weight, aquatic workouts mean landing with only 10 percent of your total body weight jarring you and thus decreasing your chance and risk for injury.

2. Immersing yourself in water helps increase your circulation and can help boost your cardiovascular health.

3. Water pressure on your joints and muscles can help reduce swelling, especially if you have painful injuries.

4. Water provides resistance that helps strengthen your muscles, as you push against it.

5. Because the effects of gravity are less in water, you may be able to do more stretching exercises than you could on dry land.

So when it comes to a balanced form of exercise, few options offer the overall benefit of an enjoyable swim.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Jason Flintstone

Health and Diet During Holidays

Holidays are a perfect time to enjoy and chill out with families and friends. Parties with wide variety of food on display tempt one and all to indulge in mouth watering delicacies. If you are the kind who swears by a fitness routine, you might tend to enjoy less of yummy foods and spend more time worrying about the increasing waistline. You can still stay healthy and fit by savoring all the delicacies. Little of planning, a dash of goal setting and dose of old fashioned discipline and control over your self will let you enjoy the holiday season without any worries. Let me list down few ways wherein you can follow your diet and stay in great shape too.

- Holidays are just an excuse to go off track from your fitness program. The mindset of people is that since we follow our fitness regime all week / month / year long, we can indulge in gorging over those cakes and ice creams. Aim to stay on track with your fitness program this and all other holidays. By skipping workouts, eating more, exercising less one tends to gain weight. It’s like going back where we started off from. Make a decision to stay in shape with all the food around you.

- Holidays are a hectic time. All premeditated schedules can go haywire. To stay on track, create a work out time table listing down all the parties, dinners and so on. Keep the time table at such a place where you are forced to look at it every day. This serves as a reminder to stick to your time table religiously.

- If you think you would like to lose 25 lbs during holidays despite enjoying parties, set a goal much before and start working towards it. Goal can also be to gain few kilos also.

- With so much lip smacking, gorgeous food all around, you will feel tempted to just give your fitness program. Keep one day aside where you can treat your self to all your cravings and give in to all your bingeing. Stick to your fitness program rest of the days. And don’t feel even one iota of guilt while satiating your self. Schedule your day to cheat on fitness routine when you have major event lined up.

- If you skip one day of exercise, don’t despair. Get on with it the next day. Nothing goes waste. One day of holiday in your fitness schedule should be a motivating factor for you to get back on your fitness regime.

- If you have planned a big dinner, you might tend to skip either morning or afternoon meal. Avoid changing your eating pattern. Treat the big dinner party at night just like regular dinner time and eat how much you would eat normally.

- Control food portion size in holidays. Eat your favourite foods in moderation. Overindulgence will show around your waistline.

- One always has choices, no matter where you are. Make the best possible choice based on the alternatives available in front of you. If it’s impossible, eat a small portion than a big one.

- Drink 8 – 10 glasses of water daily. Drink few glasses of water before dinner to control your appetite and not kill those hunger pangs. If you just drink and not eat a well balanced meal, you will bloat. Drink water throughout the day to maintain a steady state of hydration.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Kevin Pederson

How to Double Your Energy Levels In Three Days

Are you often tired, lethargic and feeling older than you should? Do you want to get more done and have the non-stop energy of a 7-year-old child? With this report, you'll learn two easy ways to double your energy levels within the next three days.

Whenever I'm shopping or out walking in NYC, I notice, I'm always the fastest person by far. Everyone does things so slowly.

I literally move twice the speed of the average person and I don't use any stimulants. I'm not trying to impress anyone, I just have so much energy, that my body wants me to use it.

What Bodily Process Wastes The Most Energy?

Digestion uses up the most energy out of all your bodily functions. You're brain is the next biggest user of energy. What you eat can make a tremendous difference in your energy.

Certain foods are difficult to digest, the more processed, cooked, and complex the food, the more energy it takes to digest. What happens after eating a big holiday meal?

You get so tired that you start falling asleep in the middle of the afternoon. That's because you ate so much food and so many different combinations of foods that all of your remaining energy is used up for digestion and you don't have enough energy left to stay awake.

Raw Fruit Is The Ideal Energy Food

Fruit is predigested fuel or simple carbohydrates. Your body requires the least energy to digest them compared to any other food. The former director of nutrition for the US Olympic Team said "Fruits are miracle foods for athletes."

Fruit provides your body with its ideal and preferred source of fuel, which is sugar. Every cell in the body is fueled by sugar. After sugar the body prefers fat and the least efficient fuel source is protein.

The simple sugar from fruit is completely healthy. Most people don’t know that your body cannot use complex carbohydrates or starches. Those starches first have to be broken down into sugar. This breaking down process depletes energy from the body.

Fruit is the most nutritious food on the planet. A diet rich in fruits and leafy green vegetables supplies you with virtually all of your nutrient needs, even protein and the essential fatty acids. We all know that fruits and vegetables are the healthiest foods on the planet. Why not eat more of them?

Action Plan

Make fruit your morning and lunch meals and watch your energy levels soar through the roof. Eat as much fruit as you need to feel full. You'll have to eat much more than an average person eats. By lunch I've already eaten 8 to 10 bananas.

What Is The Second Energy Boosting Technique?

In high school, I started using an exercise that made my energy levels scream. Combine this exercise with eating more fruit and your energy levels will soar through the roof.

You’ll swear that you were taking uppers. Your body will beg you to exercise it more. The great thing is that you don’t have to drink coffee or take any stimulants to get this boost.

The other day I had so much extra energy; I decided to run sprints in my house. This was after I already did a great workout earlier in the day. I ran back and forth, from room to room. It was great fun, constantly changing direction, accelerating and stopping on a dime. I had more energy than a five year old.

This exercise is a specific way of doing aerobics. I’ve found that jogging for instance, which is an aerobic exercise, won’t give you this energy increase.

The key is to do exercises that keep you in the aerobic heart range, that build muscle and use all of your limbs in one exercise session. The exercise system I used in high school was Heavy Hands.

These days I use another exercise routine that gives me better overall results and I don’t need any equipment.

Owners of my Lightning Speed Fitness Program have already seen this in our member's only forum.

Here is the exercise routine post from the forum.

Lightning Aerobics

Another great way to do cardio is to do a whole calisthenics routine in a special way. I call it Lightning Aerobics. You can use any bodyweight exercises to get a similar effect.

Start by doing a strenuous exercise like the Lighting Speed Exercise (LSE) or pushups. As soon as you get winded, take a short break until your heart rate is back in the lower to middle aerobic heart range (50 to 85% of your maximum heart rate) and then switch to another exercise. You have to watch that your heart rate doesn’t get too low or too high.

You must stay within the aerobic heart range throughout most of the routine. It’s ok to go above it for short periods. If you’re into the anaerobic heart range for too long though, you are going to be very sore the next day.

Today's routine. 20 minutes

Three Sets of:
1. Pushups: 20
2. Lighting Exercise (LSE): 50
3. Jumping Jacks: 50
4. Jumping Lunges: 10
5. Superman Pushups: 10

Plus an extra set of pushups at the end and 10 mountain climbers.

I had so much energy today. My body was simply dieing to exercise.

Later on, I did a set of 20 Burpees. Man was I winded after that. Then I did several sprinting sessions in my house. I did a couple of handstand pushups, Hindu pushups, Superman pushups and two more sets of 50 LSE's.

Doing Lightning Aerobics is important because it dramatically increases your energy levels by oxygenating every part of your body. Once you start using these techniques you're body will beg you to exercise it on a regular basis. You'll finally have enough energy to play and run for hours with your children or those of your friends.

Regain your youth and energy with these strategies.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Roger Haeske

How Can Achilles Tendonitis Be Prevented

Injuries to Achilles tendon are quite common and mainly found in sportsmen or women associated with running sports. The sports that have most chances of inflicting Achilles injuries are football, basketball, tennis, cycling, running and walking. This injury is caused by twisting or turning of the ankle or foot beyond known range of movement. It is normally a rupture or strain of the Achilles tendon.

The Achilles tendon facilitates you to point the foot downwards, allowing you to run, jump or stand on your toes. Despite being the strongest tendon in the human body (it can withstand a 1000 pound force), the Achilles tendon is ruptured most often due to the pressures put upon it in competitive sports. Achilles tendon is afflicted by two kinds of injuries - Achilles Tendon Rupture and Achilles Tendonitis.

Achilles Tendon Rupture is a tear (or complete shearing) of the Achilles tendon, and occurs due to a sudden or unexpected force.

Achilles Tendonitis, on the other hand is a simple inflammation of the Achilles tendon, and is cause by excessive wear and tear of the Achilles tendon caused by excessive training over long periods of time.

Cause: Achilles Tendonitis is caused by lack of conditioning in most cases. In the event that the tendon and the muscles connecting to it are not conditioned, it will result in a weakness of the tendon making it prone to injuries.

It is important to remember that, while conditioning one should remember not to put too much strain on the tendon in a short period of time. This will degenerate the tendon over time and would lead to inflammation and pain.

Lack of warming up and stretching is also a major cause of Achilles tendonitis. The other contributors could be ill-suited footwear, uneven ground for training and wrong positioning. Highly arched feet or flat feet also contribute to Achilles tendonitis.

Prevention: Achilles tendonitis can be prevented by following some simple rules while training –

- Proper warm up: A proper warm up is necessary to begin any training session. This would not only ensure that all your body muscles are flexed and conditioned, it will also ensure that your Achilles tendon is up to the strain.

- Plyometric Training: Lower leg and ankle joint can be conditioned by these exercises that involve hopping, jumping, skipping, bounding and similar activities.

- Balancing Exercises: These exercises greatly contribute improve your body’s proprioception – The ability of your body to know where the limbs are at any given point of time. They involve exercises that involve balancing.

- Stretch: Stretching is a very important part of the exercise regimen to keep your muscles conditioned. Stretching lower leg and ankle would greatly contribute to strengthening the Achilles tendon.

- Footwear: To protect the Achilles tendon, place prime importance in wearing proper and well fitting footwear. Good footwear should have enough cushioning, lend stability to ankles and provide support to the leg while walking or running.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Julian Hall

How To Get Started On A Healthy Lifestyle

How many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you'll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising?

While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness -- and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.
In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

I recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.

Here's a sample exercise program that may work for you:

* Warm Up -- seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training -- Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets.

* Aerobic Exercise -- Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.

* Stretching -- Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.

* From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy.

* From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.

* After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits,' says Zwiefel. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is impractical. Instead, I suggest these easy-to-follow guidelines:

* Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day
* Make sure every meal is balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits
* Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor
* Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day
* I also recommend that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Gregg Hall

How To Reduce Over Sweating| Stop Excessive Perspiration

It is a known fact that overweight and obese people are more prone to excessive sweating as they perspire more. However, excessive perspiration can be also due to several underlying medical conditions such as menopause, psychiatric illnesses and very active thyroid glands. Excessive sweating is also known to occur to people with no known medical condition and thus the cause of heavy sweating for this group of people is unknown.

It is very distressing to suffer from over sweating and many people with this condition also suffer from low self esteem. This is because excessive sweating may cause them to have undesirable body odor, looking unkempt and dirty.

It is easier for those who are overweight to reduce excessive perspiration since it is just a matter of reducing their body fat weight. Losing weight is easy with the right combination of exercises and healthy eating habits. Many people who find it hard to lose weight and disagree with me that losing weight is easy is because they are doing it wrongly.

If excessive sweating is localized on parts of the body such as armpits, palms or the soles of feet, then treatments may be necessary to reduce over perspiration. Sometimes anti-perspirants applied to the affected body part may just stop excessive sweating albeit temporarily.

Simple and non surgical medical treatments that are known to reduce or even sometimes stop excessive sweating successfully are Iontophoresis where a low electrical current is introduced to the affected parts of the body or getting Botulinum toxin injections commonly known as Botox injections.

If you are suffering from excessive sweating and over perspiration, and since this condition is most prevalent among people who are overweight, go get a medical check up to see if you are obese. If you are, then embark on a healthy diet and exercise program and your excessive sweating condition may be solved permanently.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Chris Chew

Not Enough Time to Exercise

Lack of time is the most common excuse for avoiding exercise. As a personal fitness trainer, I hear it all the time, “I’d love to workout but I don’t have time.” My goal is to help you find the time or more importantly, make the time to exercise. There are too many benefits for your health and well being to make excuses not to exercise. The older you are, the more important exercise is to your overall well-being and health. Strength training has been proven to reduce the risk of falls, increases bone density, reduces the symptoms for arthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity and back pain. Studies have show exercise to have a profound effect on a person’s mental and emotional health. With all the benefits of exercise and if your health is a priority, you could find the time to exercise.

If you have time to watch television, you have time to exercise. These two activities can easily be combined. A television placed in front of your exercise bike or treadmill will help accomplish your cardio needs and make the time go by faster.

Be creative; break your workout program into two shorter sessions rather than one long session to fit more easily into your day. Many studies show that cardiovascular training for fat burning is best in the morning. Stop snoozing to your alarm clock and hit the cardio for 20 minutes in the morning. It’s a great way to start your day. Save your strength training for the evening or after work. An effective strength training workout doesn’t take more than 40 to 50 minutes.

If you’re a parent, it’s your responsibility to be a role model for your children. A healthy lifestyle and balance in life educates your children about values and priorities. Build fitness into your family’s playtime. Activities, instead of allowing children to park themselves in front of the TV or computer all weekend, will serve your family’s need for exercise.

Remember to keep it fun. Attitude is everything! For more information and tips on exercise, go to http://www.EasyExerciseTips.com - By: Linda Geyer

Things To Consider Before Joining A Gym Or Fitness Center

If you are making efforts to get into better shape or to lose weight, one question you might have is about whether or not you should join a gym or other type of fitness center. This is a question that only you can answer, but here are a few thoughts to ponder before you sign up at fitness center or gym.
* Is a contract required? If so, you will want to be sure that you understand the terms of your contract and what the payment schedule is. Some gyms may offer discounts for long term memberships, so know what you're signing! If you sign up for a 36 month contract, you'll be held to it, even if you stop going. Don't be afraid to ask the salesperson to bring it home and read it in its entirety before signing on the dotted line.
* Are the hours and location of the gym conveinent for you? If the gym or fitness center has limited hours, or isn't close enough to your home, you might struggle to make it there. To maximize your membership at any gym, you have to go! Make sure that it is open hours when you are planning on working out, and doesn't take an hour to get to. Otherwise your enthusiasm might fade quick.
* Do they have the equipment that you are looking for? You will want to be sure that your gym has the fitness equipment you need for maximum health benefits. Do they have enough cardio machines such as elliptical trainers, stationary bicycles, treadmills, stair machines etc. that you won't have to wait to use them? There is nothing more demotivating than arriving at the gym to find you have to wait an hour to use your desired machine. If you are looking to do weight training, you'll want to be sure they offer free weights, or strength training equipment.
* Do they offer fitness classes? You might feel more comfortable or motivated working out in a group environment. If you are this type of person, look for a gym that offers fitness classes such as step aerobics, pilates, yoga or spinning. Before signing up, you'll want to confirm whether or not there are additional fees to attend, so you aren't surprised with additional fees later.
* Do they offer personal trainers? If you are interested in a personal trainer, you'll want to be sure that your gym offers this service. Personal Trainers are not typically included in base memberships at most gyms, however it is worth asking if there are any introductory specials that offer a personal trainer for your first visit/ workout.
* Do they have other features that you or your family might enjoy? Some features might be a bonus! Do they have an indoor swimming pool, hot tub, sauna or tennis courts that you have access to? Although this might not be a major selling point, having different things to do at the gym could help tackle weight loss plateaus or boredom in your workout routine.
* Is the gym clean? There is nothing more disgusting than a gym that is filled with dirt and grime. Do they offer sanitizers to clean machines before and after using them? No one wants to sit in someone elses puddle of sweat. Look for signs like dirty floors and unkept bathrooms or locker rooms. These are good indicators of the overall cleanliness of the gym you are considering. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, they say.
These are important things to consider before joining a gym. They come in handy for making an informed decision on whether or not a gym or fitness center is the right one for you.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Darren McLaughlin

Fun Fitness Tips

Getting and staying in shape doesn’t have to be dull and boring! Try some of these fun fitness activities to make your workout time more enjoyable.
MUSICAL EXERCIES – Put on your favorite music and do some yoga! No need for slow, elevator music. Move to your favorite beat. Or pop on the headphones or earphones and grab your MP3 or cassette player or handheld PC and bike to a nearby park. Too cold or rainy? Then head to a mall or other enclosed area where you can walk. Caution: make sure you are alert while listening to music with headphones or earphones.
FUN IN THE SUN – Check out the latest tanning solutions and try fun, scented versions with funky, multi-colored sunglasses. Grab your cassette player or MP3 player and favorite tunes. And pack some flavored water, new flavored health bar that you’ve been dying to try and some frozen berries in your carryall for breaks and have a “sense”-ational time.
FITNESS CLASSES – Try out a new fitness class for fun. Enjoy a full water aerobics workout with less stress on your joints. Grab some colorful water gear and swim to the beat. Or try a dance or Jazzercise routine. No need to commit long-term, just ask about popping in for a class or two to check it out and enjoy. Meet new friends and get fit all at once.
VCR / DVD – Head to the library or local rental store and grab a fun fitness video or DVD. Crank up the sound when your favorite tunes come on and join the taped workout participants in the privacy of your own home.
GYM / FITNESS CENTER – Dig out those coupons you’ve been receiving in envelop mailers and those money saving coupon magazines. Again, no need to commit long-term. Just head on over and use the free or low-cost trial / invitational period and enjoy!
JOURNALING – Spice up your logging routine with an inexpensive new journal from a discount or dollar store nearby. Crate snazzy charts with colored markers. Add bright colored stickers for each workout. Paste or tape clipped pictures of your goals throughout the covers and inside sections. For example, paste pictures of that vacation spot you want to travel to with your new, healthy YOU wearing a new swimsuit.
So add some fun in with your fitness activities. Wake up your senses with new taste, smells, sights, touches and sounds. Forget that “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” stuff. Workouts plus play make Jack a fun, fit boy!
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Nicky Pilkington

Wellness: Not the Same as Fitness

Have you ever stopped to think about how to determine your current fitness and wellness levels? Does your doctor ask you each time you visit if you believe yourself to be fit and well? Probably not. Nor does he likely give you any method for determining where you're at for yourself.

There are fitness centers everywhere, most staffed with counselors who can test your fitness level. But what about your wellness level. Are they one and the same?

The fact is, being fit and being well are totally different conditions. However, both are essential to maintaining your health.

Your wellness rating depends on your immune system, including the vitamins, supplements and nutrition you intake. It's a fact that people who are fit can sometimes be unwell, and well people can sometimes be unfit. However, when you combine the two and use sound principles based on clean living, exercise and healthy eating, you attain a state of balance that helps you to maintain both fitness and wellness.

Many people don't take the time to completely understand the advantages of being both fit and well. We read and absorb the information we're given through the media and health organizations without ever questioning whether we're receiving the information we really need, or simply what is profitable for these companies to make available.

Fitness gyms need your monthly fees in order to stay in business, so they probably have no real concern about the condition of your immune system. Physical fitness is a condition of the body alone.

Hospitals and doctors need you as a patient in order to remain operational. They will tell you that you need to be fit and well, but often leave out important information that affect your wellness and, therefore, your ability to stay fit.

What about diet? What about vitamins? What role does our daily intake play in our health, wellness and fitness? The fact is, diet has more influence than you have been led to believe or understand.

Our body's ability to stay well is directly related to the nutrition you receive every day. The mind's ability to remain well is also a direct result of our nutritional intake.

For example, the human brain doesn't develop well without the necessary input of protein in our daily diet. No protein, no intelligence. If there is no intelligence, then none of the other states can be attained.

Spiritual input is another determining factor when establishing our wellness level. Spiritual reflection is a way to cleanse ourselves of the toxins of our daily life. Wellness encompasses our complete state of being, mind and health. It's a condition of the whole ... mind, body and soul.

So, for those who believe they are fit, it's also important to pay attention to your wellness as well. Finding the ideal balance is the best way to achieve a long and healthy life.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Nicky Pilkington

Total Fitness For The Body You Always Wanted

Total fitness is more than just strength and conditioning... It is the combination, compromise and fluid interaction between cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, accuracy and toughness

Fitness programs are usually split up into two categories... strength and conditioning.

However... Total fitness is oh so much more than that!

Many physical fitness programs work under the assumption that fitness can be broken down into different components and trained separately.

But what happens when sport, work or life challenges you with an activity that requires the combination, compromise and fluid interaction of physical abilities?

Can a body trained in a robotic fashion function as one complete, effective unit when called upon?

Total fitness is the ability to effectively use and integrate different physical abilities into a fluid and successful completion of a task.

So how do you train for total fitness?

By participating in a physical fitness program that trains the body to work as one complete unit and that understands all physical abilities must be trained to complement the others.

By using a wide variety of training methods, stresses and intensities to blur the lines between the training of the different physical abilities... you can create total fitness for the greatest amount of physical activities under the greatest amount of circumstances.

Sometimes physical abilities unrelated to strength and conditioning are neglected from physical training programs or completely absent.

This is a big mistake... because total fitness is what will provide the greatest amount of performance improvement for skills necessary in sport, work and life.

If you are seeking functional strength, superior conditioning and fitness excellence and your workout program is broken down into isolated strength and conditioning sessions... you should look into changing your physical training protocol to include the training of other physical abilities and the interaction of all the abilities.

And for those of you that view physical training as a means to improve appearance... here is a little tip.

There is no faster way to create the body that you want than training for functional strength, superior conditioning and fitness excellence.

You cannot trick your body into looking fit without actually being fit... and even if you could, why would you want to?

Train for a body that performs as good as it looks and you will create the body you always wanted... Train for total fitness.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Eddie Lomax

Gym Etiquettes - Workout Ethics In Gym

Are you annoying people when you go to the gym for your workout? You may not even know that you are annoying people with your bad gym ethics. When that is the case, it is embarrassing.

Some gyms will put up a notice of what do’s and don’ts but many do not. Gym etiquette is supposed to be common sense, but we all know that common sense sometimes is not so common. If you workout regularly at the gym, you would have come across inconsiderate and annoying people. Don’t these people have common sense? Of course they do, but it either did not occur to them that they are annoying you or they are simply inconsiderate and rude.

So before you unintentionally annoy other gym users and get yelled at, here are some gym etiquettes you must know. Observe these ethics and make your gym workout be an enjoyable experience not only to you but to others too.

•Good Housekeeping – Put back the weights where they are supposed to be after using them. By not stashing them into where they belong, you not only inconvenienced others having to look for the weights, you are also creating possible accident situations where people may trip over the barbells and other weights lying cluttered all over.

•Do Not Grunt Loudly – Some people grunt loudly because they are oblivious to the fact that others may want to concentrate on their lifts and do not want to be distracted by loud grunts. Others grunt to show off usually when lifting heavy weights. Either way, it is bad ethic.

•The Smart Aleck – Do not tell other people what to do even if their lifting form is wrong unless you are asked for your opinion. Dishing out unsolicited advice will simply bruise their ego. They will just think that you are trying to show off. There is an exception though. This is when poor lifting form may lead to injuries. Even then, do so only when their set is over and not to interrupt them when they are lifting weights.

•Hygiene – Keep yourself neat and clean at all times. Do not wear the same T shirt or socks you wore at your last workout. Being in an enclosed area, you may really stink.

•Chatting And Idling About – You may go to the gym for social reasons. So you go about making friends and chatting people up. What you do not know is that many people are unlike you. They go to the gym with just one thing in mind. Have a great workout and go home. So you are taking up their time. Furthermore, your chatter will also distract and annoy other people.

•Do Not Hog – Do be aware that the gym equipments are for all to share. When resting before your next set, do not rest on the machines or sitting on the benches. Others will want to use them while you are resting between sets.

•Use Clean Towel – If you are sweating profusely, wipe your sweat. It is unhygienic to have your sweat dripping everywhere. It is even worse when you use the weight stations and leaving your puddles on benches and seats. Clean up your sweat residue on the equipments all the time.

•Creating Excessive Noise – Have you ever been irritated by loud clanging of weights when people workout? Treat the weights and machines with tender loving care. Why damage the equipments and irritating other people at the same time. If you cannot control the weights, then the weights are probably too heavy for you anyway.

Be sensitive to others and when you are annoyed by certain unethical behaviors, make a mental note not to do the same thing. If only gym etiquettes are to be observed by all gym users, our workouts will be so much more pleasantly enjoyable. So, bear in mind your gym ethics the next time you head for the gym.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Chris Chew

Home Gym Equipment For Females

When you are setting up a gym in your home, you will need about ten basic pieces of equipment to make it successful. If you are setting one up for a male, you will probably want to make sure some of the weights are heavier to meet their needs. First, you will want a 50llb dumbbell set. A good dumbbell set which includes a set of 5llb, 8llb and 12llbs dumbbells. Dumbbells are essential in toning any body because they create lean, defined muscles which give you a sleek look as well as help burn more calories. You also are going to need a barbell set. Barbell sets are good to go along with dumbbell sets because they target different areas of the muscle, giving you an all around better workout. To help you with your weight lifting, you can purchase a pair of weight lifting gloves, which will allow you to have a better grip on the bar, as well as protect your hands from calluses.

Now that you’ve got all your weight’s set up, you are going to need something to work out on. If you’re budget allows, you can purchase a weight bench, which allows you to do exercises of all kinds. However, if you can’t afford to buy a weight bench, you can buy an aerobics step, which allows you to do many of the same exercises. You can also use an exercise ball to do your exercises on, which is very popular because they help increase balance, and core strength. After you are done your work out, you need to stretch, so a mat would be useful so you avoid rug burn, as well as bruising you’re spine. These are the basic necessities for any home gym, but if you find you’re self wondering what exercises to do after you’ve got you’re gym set up, you might want to purchase a workout book as well.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Bart Samuri

Whatever You Do, Don't Exercise!

You can't turn left, right, go forward, backwards, or even just stand still these days without someone telling you that you have to exercise.

Whatever happens, DON'T do it!

People talk about the many benefits of exercise, and indeed, the list seems very long, and it seems to touch pretty much every aspect of our lives. Let's examine this:

• Increases Energy: I can't imagine why anyone would want to increase their energy level. As if the world isn't already too full of caffeinated coffee and energy drink junkies, now we're being told to try to get MORE energy from exercise.

Don't do it people! Just try to make it through your long and boring lives with barely enough pep to get from point A to point B, and then drag yourself home every night and plop down on the couch for another brain-draining evening in front of the TV.

• Lowers Your Risk for Heart Disease: Heart Disease?!? Yeah right - this sounds like too many doctors weren't making enough money, so they came up with a general term that would cover everything from indigestion to breathing hard.

The fact that it kills more people in the United States than any other disease or condition combined is irrelevant. Your heart is in great shape! Keep eating potato chips, hamburgers, and fried shrimp. You'll be just fine.

• Cranks up Your Metabolism: What IS metabolism anyway? Everyone is talking about it, but I don't see it around anywhere. If it's so important to have a fast metabolism in order to burn off bodyfat, wouldn't someone have come up with a magic pill or special sauce that took care of this issue?

Stay up really late eating ice cream and washing it down with root beer. While your body turns every one of those calories into bodyfat, you can catch an infommercial that is sure to be selling "The Metabolism Master Blaster"!

• Helps You Lose Weight: Oh sure - here is another example of mass hysteria. If exercise is so good at making people lose weight, why is it that America is fatter today than it has ever been, even though there is a gym on every corner?

Seriously, being fat HAS to be healthy, or else everyone wouldn't be doing it! Go ask the owner of any fast food restaurant if they think that people are truly concerned about losing weight.

• Increases Self-Esteem: This must be why anti-depressant drugs are so rampant in our society today. Half of our teenagers are on Valium, and the other half have ADD. Marriages are breaking up left and right over emotional conflicts, and psychologists get paid big dollars to assure people that they are "OK".

Besides, overweight people must already have great self-esteem, because they are able to hide in their homes dying of bad health instead of feeling the need to go "be healthy" with the rest of the world.

So, in conclusion, I think we have demonstrated that there is a perfectly acceptable way to use logic to convince ourselves that we don't need to exercise. Let the members of the Health and Fitness industry keep selling their wares, putting together new products and facilities, and generally wasting their lives away.

The rest of us are smart and we will boycott this thing called "Exercise". As our stomachs grow larger, our backsides get bigger, and our clothes get smaller, we can take solace in the fact that we didn't get swept up by that whole "Health Craze"!

Hey - pass the chocolate cake covered in caramel and whip cream! I want a third piece of that while my french fries deep-fry for another five minutes and I catch the end of some completely unrealistic reality show!

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Aaron Potts

Seven Tips For A Long And Healthy Life

As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you from the problems caused by a life style that is unhealthy. Instead of getting a modern medical fix for every problem, it is far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever fall ill.

An ounce of prevention is certainly better than a pound of cure. Here are seven tips on how to live a long and healthy life. In addition, the same life style that helps you to avoid illness also helps you to lose weight.

1. Get Enough Exercise

In the past people had to use their physical bodies in the course of their normal work. But today someone may get up, go to work in a car, then sit down, get up to go home in the car and when arriving at home, sit down again for the rest of the day. In such a life there is no physical labor. This physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for a host of diseases. Sport, running. walking and other things must be added to our life if our normal work does not require us to exert ourselves physically. I

2. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy

This may sound simple, but many people stay up late even when their body is telling them that it is time to sleep. Yoga and Ayurvedic doctors also say that it is better to sleep in the night and be active during the day. However, people such as students will take coffee and stimulants to study late into the night. Others develop the habit of remaining active at night and sleeping during the day. While we can do this, it eventually takes a toll on health. Alternative health doctors say that this kind of unnatural living is one of the contributing factors in the causation of cancer and other diseases

3. Eat when you feel hungry

This is also a simple idea, but once again we often go against the messages of the body. If you eat out of habit or due to social pressure at certain time of the day, even when you have no real appetite, then you will not digest your food properly. Acidity and indigestion begin, and this contributes to the likelihood of other more complex diseases taking root. Having an appetite is actually a sign of good health, but if you have no appetite you should wait a bit and then eat. (If you have no appetite even after awaiting a reasonable amount of time, then you should consult a doctor because something is wrong.)

4.Fast on a Regular, Systematic Basis

If you would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some rest or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without a rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why periodic fasting is necessary. Refrain from eating for one complete day. This gives a rest to your digestive organs and also helps in the elimination of wastes from your body. Regular fasting allows a person to gain extra time for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice.

5. Wash with cool water before going to bed

As mentioned above, proper sleep is essential for the maintenance of health. If you wash your important motor and sensory organs (hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth, genitals) before sleep using cool water, this will relax you and prepare you for deep sleep.

6. Perform meditation on a regular basis

Your body is linked to your mind. Many of the diseases of this era are psychosomatic. Stress and anxiety take their toll on our physical health. Meditation is a mental exercise which, among other things, allows you to detach yourself from the worries of life. Learn a simple technique and do it regularly.

7. Get up early every day

Once again the old proverb, "Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise." I don't know if it will make you wealthy, but it will certainly make you healthy. Your body needs just enough sleep, not too much and not too little.

Follow these tips and you can't go wrong.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Dada Vedaprajinananda

Seven Tips For A Long And Healthy Life

As good as modern medical technology is, it can never save you from the problems caused by a life style that is unhealthy. Instead of getting a modern medical fix for every problem, it is far better to live in such a way that you will hardly ever fall ill.

An ounce of prevention is certainly better than a pound of cure. Here are seven tips on how to live a long and healthy life. In addition, the same life style that helps you to avoid illness also helps you to lose weight.

1. Get Enough Exercise

In the past people had to use their physical bodies in the course of their normal work. But today someone may get up, go to work in a car, then sit down, get up to go home in the car and when arriving at home, sit down again for the rest of the day. In such a life there is no physical labor. This physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for a host of diseases. Sport, running. walking and other things must be added to our life if our normal work does not require us to exert ourselves physically. I

2. Go to sleep when you feel sleepy

This may sound simple, but many people stay up late even when their body is telling them that it is time to sleep. Yoga and Ayurvedic doctors also say that it is better to sleep in the night and be active during the day. However, people such as students will take coffee and stimulants to study late into the night. Others develop the habit of remaining active at night and sleeping during the day. While we can do this, it eventually takes a toll on health. Alternative health doctors say that this kind of unnatural living is one of the contributing factors in the causation of cancer and other diseases

3. Eat when you feel hungry

This is also a simple idea, but once again we often go against the messages of the body. If you eat out of habit or due to social pressure at certain time of the day, even when you have no real appetite, then you will not digest your food properly. Acidity and indigestion begin, and this contributes to the likelihood of other more complex diseases taking root. Having an appetite is actually a sign of good health, but if you have no appetite you should wait a bit and then eat. (If you have no appetite even after awaiting a reasonable amount of time, then you should consult a doctor because something is wrong.)

4.Fast on a Regular, Systematic Basis

If you would ask any person to work 365 days per year without any rest, they would complain and say that they must have some rest or else they will break down. But we have never bothered to ask or to think about our digestive organs which we compel to work day after day without a rest. They cannot protest the way a person would to his boss, but they do give us signals that they cannot work non-stop. When we ignore those signals and still compel them to work, those organs break down. That is why periodic fasting is necessary. Refrain from eating for one complete day. This gives a rest to your digestive organs and also helps in the elimination of wastes from your body. Regular fasting allows a person to gain extra time for intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Fasting is not for hermits in a cave, but is a sensible practice that anyone can practice.

5. Wash with cool water before going to bed

As mentioned above, proper sleep is essential for the maintenance of health. If you wash your important motor and sensory organs (hands, arms, eyes, legs, mouth, genitals) before sleep using cool water, this will relax you and prepare you for deep sleep.

6. Perform meditation on a regular basis

Your body is linked to your mind. Many of the diseases of this era are psychosomatic. Stress and anxiety take their toll on our physical health. Meditation is a mental exercise which, among other things, allows you to detach yourself from the worries of life. Learn a simple technique and do it regularly.

7. Get up early every day

Once again the old proverb, "Early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise." I don't know if it will make you wealthy, but it will certainly make you healthy. Your body needs just enough sleep, not too much and not too little.

Follow these tips and you can't go wrong.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Dada Vedaprajinananda

Make the Most of Your Workout Time

There are two keys to getting the most from your workouts. If you omit either one of these you might not get the benefit you want from your efforts. But if you do them both, you will have maximum results with minimum effort. And that is what we all want.

First, when you come to the gym, or when you do any workout, you need to know what it is that you intend to accomplish and how you are going to go about it. In other words, you have to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a complicated plan, but you do need to know where you are going and how you plan on getting there.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight, it is vital to know where you are now. What do you weigh? What is your body fat percentage? How much muscle do you have?

Because it is the muscle that burns up the calories, both at the gym and while you are home resting and even while you are sleeping. It is the muscle that does this. So you need to know how much muscle you have now, and you need to keep track of how much more you are developing, to see if you are making progress.

You can do this with a few simple tools. A bathroom scale or the scale at the gym will tell you how much you weigh. You can figure out the fat percentage with a simple, inexpensive caliper. Subtract the fat mass from your body weight, and that is your lean mass. As long as the lean mass is going up while the fat mass is going down, you are doing well, gaining muscle and getting into better shape.

Second, you need to know what you are doing each workout. If you are walking, you should keep track of how far you walk and how long it takes you. That way you can tell if you are doing better as time goes on. If you are not improving your times or your distance you might not be making the progress you should.

If you are using weights to gain muscle and slim down (and you should if at all possible, because this is one of the best ways to lose weight, no matter who you are, how old you are, how out of shape you are, or what you weigh) then you need to know what workout you are going to do each time you go to the gym.

Your program should be written out beforehand, and include the exercises and the number of repetitions that you are going to do. Then all you have to do is keep a log book (a simple spiral notebook works well) and make a quick note as you do each set of exercises.

It only takes a second you write down the name of the exercise, the number of repetitions, and the weight you are using on each set. This is a vital step that many people leave out. But when you do this, you are recording your progress each workout, and you will know from week to week whether you are improving or not. You can flip the page and see how you did last week, and challenge yourself to do at least one more.

If you do these two things, have a long term plan in mind and keep records of your progress, you can have maximum benefit from minimum effort. And you can truly lose the weight and at last have the body that you have always wanted.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Dan Curtis

Exercise: An Antiaging Activity

Age is a state of mind, not a number, many people believe. But to make this maxim hold true, we must do all within our power to stay healthy and keep our bodies working as long and as efficiently as possible.

One of the best things than anyone can do to maintain good health is to follow a routine exercise plan, preferably one that includes 30 to 60 minutes of a daily workout. Ideally the program should be based on both aerobic and weight training exercises. A comprehensive workout tailored to your specific physical needs and abilities can help you get in shape and maintain a healthy body. Here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Check with your doctor. Get a physical examination to make sure your body is working as it should and able to support an exercise routine at this time. If you have an underlying condition, like diabetes or asthma, ask your doctor whether exercise could impact these conditions, and if so, what you should do to manage them. This is the time to report any new or changing symptoms as well, so these can be evaluated and treated, if necessary, to bring them under control. Ask your doctor to recommend an exercise program, or at least to set boundaries on what you should and should not attempt to do.

2. Choose a regular time. Some experts believe that morning exercise brings the best results, but activity at any type of day will help. Try to set aside a similar time slot each day so you can build a routine around it that will help you stay with the program and not miss sessions due to other commitments or interruptions. You may want to let family members and friends know you will be unavailable during this time, say between 6 and 7 p.m., most days of the week.

3. Start slow. Choose easy, light exercise activity to ease into a new routine. Walking around the neighborhood or on a treadmill is a terrific activity. Riding an exercise bike is another. You won’t need special clothes, either, except for comfortable tops and bottoms that will not restrict muscle movements. Swimming is another great way to have fun and burn calories while stretching muscles. Check your local YMCA or health spa for information about open pool hours or swim group programs.

4. Keep records. Write your starting weight, measurements, time, and activities, along with your resting heart rate. Each week, record updated information as well as your peak heart rate during your workout. Make sure you don’t exceed recommended limits. If you stay with your program, you should begin to see positive changes that will make you feel great, mentally as well as physically.

Continue to modify your exercise plan as you get older. In some cases you can increase activity as your body gets in better shape. At other times you may need to decrease or adjust your rate of activity. Whatever happens, your sense of well being and your overall physical health are sure to improve.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com-By: Gary Wells